Interlocking floor strip



Jan. 1, 1929. 1,697,683

P. GALASSI INTERLOCKING FLOOR STRIP Fi led May 16, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 W MW! WWHM f ll] H INVENTOR. g wiaasz ATTORY Patented Jan. 1, 1929.

UNITED STATES PASQUALE GALASSI,

PAT NT" or new roams.- a.

DI'TEBLOCKING FLOOIB STRIP.

' Application filed lgay 16,

for defining and separating the various pan-' elled sections of which a terrazzo floor is composed. A

Strips of this character have heretofore been made in one piece of the proper width' and thickness according to requirements, said strips being generally provided with anchoring and positioning means formed by isolatin port ons of the material and by bending I said isolated portions laterally of the strip. l5

' or other suitable metal and are used in These strips are generally made of brass I various thicknesses for ornamenetal or strucv as the cost of the strip and 'to' use a less'expensive material ,I V for theibody thereof even when light gauge;

tural reasons or both. However a heavy gauge metal is in most cases only'used for ornamental reasons, and therefore a thick section of metal is actually only needed at [the top 'where it shows through the floor. -'It is common shapes comprising a relatively wide head portion and a relatively thin body portion, but these special shapes are bound to e more expensive than standard materials of the same weight.

Furthermore as a general rule it is desirable to use brass only at the top of the strips are'con'cerned, for the resulting saving in the cost of materal is sufiicien't to profitably compensate the increased labor costs entailed by'the joining of the two portions into a single structure.

the top, as will be understood. a In anothera' plication entitled Composite The advantage thus resulting is of course greater in thelcase of strips having arelatively wide section at flooring strips, Ser. .No. 252,323, I have de scribed and claimed a bimetallic strip of special construction in which the upper and. lower sections of the strip are joined to-' gether by means of transversely and longi tudinally interlocking male and female joints. In the said application I also have described constructions whereby the anchoring and ositioning means maybe produced directly y bending laterally of the strip the through line 6-6 of Figs;

1928. Serial No. 278,172.

body portions isolated in order to produce part or all of the notches forming part of the interlocking joints, furthermore I have mentioned among others the ssibility of securely joining the two strips y, either by making the tenons of one portion of the strip fit very tightly within the notches of the other section, orby welding or riveting operations or both. v

The present invention is intended as an improvement over the constructions described and claimed in the said application,

and its primary object is to provide a 'bimetallic strip composed of two sections inter locking with each other by means of male and female joints, in which some or all of the portions of metal isolated from one or the other section or both in order to produce notches therethrough are bent alongside the surface of the section connected thereto, securely locking the two sections together against relative lateral movement.

Anotherv object of the invention is to rovide a floor strip of the character specified in which some of the portions isolated to produce notches in one orthe'other of the sections composing the strip, or both, are

bent alongside of the sectlo'n connected thereto in order to securely lock the two sec tions against relative lateral movement, and some of .said isolated portions are bent laterally of the strip to provide anchoring and positioning-means for'said stri Other objects and advantages of fire pres ent invention will more fully a pear as the description roceeds and W111 be set forth and claimed in the appended claims.

Variousembodiments ofmy-invention are illustrated in, the accompanying draw a;

in which:

'Fig. lisa fragmentary side view in ele-v vation of anassembled strip embodying my invention in one of its forms;

Fig, 2 Sis -a cross: sectional elevation through lines 2-5-2 of Fig. '1;

I we

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional elevation through line 33 of Fig. 1;

. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side view in ele vationof a similar strip of a slightly d W er ent construction; v

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional, through line 5'5 of Fig, 4;

Fig. 6 is .a' crosssectional Fig. 7 is a fragments. aid 7 ration of a similar strip i ustra t imam;

lugs are all bent at the same side of the strip sand form a fractionated horizontal flange Which may ferred way of carrying my invention into practice; 7 Fig. 8 is a cross sectional elevation through line 8-8 of Fig. 7; 1

8 Fig. 9 is a cross section elevation through line 9-9 of Fi .7;

Fig. 10 is a agmentary side view in elevation of a similar strip of a somewhat different construction; n

Fig. 11 is a cross sectional elevation through line 11'11 of Fig; 10; Fig. 12 is a cross sectional elevation through line 12-12 of Fig. 10; f a Fig. 13 is a cross sectional elevation through'line 13 13 of Fig. 10;

Fig. 14 is a fraginentary vertical cross section of floors owing the strip illustrated in igs'. 10 to 13 in position, at 'the same time illustrating-the function of posigioning and anchoring means ofl'set thererom;

Fig. 15 is a fragmentary sideview'in ele vation of a strip of a different type also embod ing my invention; ig. 16 is a cross sectional elevation through lines 16.16 of Fig. 15;

Fig. 17 is a cross sectional elevatio through lines 1717 of Fig. 15; 4

Fig. 18 is a fragmentary side view-in ele- 80 vation of a similar strip of a somewhat different construction; Y

Fig. 19 is a cross sectional elevation through lines 19-19 of Fig. 18; h Fig. 20 is a cross sectional elevation through lines 20-20 of Fig. 18;

Fig. 21 is a view in perspective of the head section of the strip shown in Figs. 18 to I Fig. 22 is a view in perspective of the rib ordbody section thereof before assembling;

. com eted strip showing the manner of assem ling'the two sections together.-

the metal about their sides and bending out- ,wardly the metal portions thus isolated to form extended ears or lugs 34.

In the construction shown, said ears or be used as a positionin means determining the depth at which t e strip so may be insertedthrough the bed of the floor,

the distance between thev upper edge 35- of the strip and the lower surface 36 of the ears or lugs composing the flange being about equivalent to the thickness of the finishing I layer of the floor.

is a view in perspective of the The strip illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3, is.

In so far as described; the strip corresponds to the type of structures described and claimed in my other patent above re- The new feature to which the ferred to. present invention is more particularly directed is the provision of means for restraining the two sections of which the strip is composed against relative lateral movement,

'once the strip is assembled.

In'the' present case, this end is attained by forcing or riveting the edges of notches 31 about the edges of tenons 33, causing the .material about the edges of the notches to extend inwardly and to overlap. the side surfaces of-the tenons near the edges thereof, as shown at 37. The resulting strip becomes thus composed of two sections which are securely locked to each' other in all directions, and which to all intents and purposes will act as a sin le body of material.

The-strip illustrate in Figs 4, 5, 6, is similar in all respects to the one just described, exceptthat its' lugs or ears 38, 39,

' extend laterally of the strip part at one side and part at the other, being preferably arranged in alternate sequence as shown.

By virtue of this construction, the supporting and positioning action of saidlugs or ears is made more effective, assuming correct vertical alignment of the stri when it is laid in- 'sitlon. It will be 0 served ,prise' a head portion 30, 40, the section of which is wider than the section of the rib or body portion 42, 41; and in fact this is the condition that makes it possible to extend the edges of the notches: of' the wider portion over the edges of the tenons of the narrower portion.

The relative lateral displacement of the that both of t e strips, so far described, comi sections of which the strip is composed can also be prevented by bending part or all of the lugs or ears laterally extending from one of the members towards and to overlap the surface of the other member. This manner of locking the two 'sections of the strip together represents the preferred embodlment of my invention and is illustrated "in Figs..7 to-9, in which the strip is shown composed as in the previous cases of upper or head section 42, provided with evenly spaced notches 43 along its inner edge, and

a lower or body section 44. provided with tenons 45v adapted to be laterally inserted through and to interlock-"with said notches.

Like in the'previous case the tenons are] this manner, after the strip is assembled,-

its two sections cannot be taken apart, being securely locked, not only against longitudinal and vertical relative displacement butalso against lateral displacement.

' In the strip shown in Figs. 7, 8, 9, all

- the ears or lugs are bent laterally'and then upwardly at one side of the strip and then at the other in alternate succession. It is possible however, and preferable, to bend upwardly only some of the ears or lugs and to retain the others in their laterallycxtending position so as to provide posit1on-' ing and anchoring means for the strip.

' Such a construction is shown in Figs. 10 to 13, in which the lower section- 48 is formed like inthe previous casewith laterally extending ears or lugs, part of which as shown at 49, are bent upwardly against one of the lateral surfaces of the upper or head section 50, part are bent laterally and upwardly as shown at 51, against the other 'surface of said upper section, while the remaining ones are left to project laterally part at one side as shown at 52 and part at the other side as shown at '53, to provide positioning and anchoring means for the strip. n

The strip illustrated is shown in position in Fig. 14 where 54 designates the lower layer or bed of the floor laid on the floor foundation 55, and 56 designates the upper or finishing layer of the floor. The layer or rib portion of the strip 48 is embedded within the lower layerof the floor up to a point where the lower surface of its lugs or ears 52, 53, rests against the upper surface of said lower layer.

When the strip is so laid, the portion of the strip projecting above said surface, acts as a gauge determining the thickness 01, depth of the upper or finishing layer, and the ears or lugs 52, 53, act as supporting means for the strip insuring its vertical alignment. At the same time, said ears or lugs also act as anchoringjmeans between the strip and the'material out of which the finishing layer is formed further insuring the stability of the strip and the joint between "the strip and the plastic material of which 9 means which are a necessary have the head portion made of brass and the rib portion made of a less expensive'ma-- the floor is composed.

struction, just described therefore, I obtain I provide the anchoring and r positioning feature of'this type of floor laying material.

Furthermore, I produce a strip which can terial, said head portion being of; the same. or of a different thickness, thanthat of the rib or body portion. A further advantage I is obtained by using a bimetallic strip of the character described, due to the fact that its upper section may be made of material selected for its wearing and ornamental qualities, while its lower section may be made of material selected for its strength and relatively low cost.

In Figs. 15 to 17, I illustrate a strip, the construction of which is somewhat similar to 7 that of the strip shown in Figs. 10 to 13, except that its two sections are connected by dovetailed joints, and that the same are of the same thickness. Said strip is composed of an upper or head portion 57 and a lower or rib portion 58. The upper or head portion which is in the form of a relatively narrow strip is out at spaced intervals along its lower edge to form dovetailed notches 59, extending upwardly from the lower edge.

By virtue of this construction, the lower edge of the head portion or strip will be formed inan alternate succession of dovetailed notches and dovetailed tenons or male elementsof a dovetailed "oint; The lower or rib portion of the strip is also in the form of an elementary strip of a thicknesscorresponding to that of the upper portion, and the upper edge is notched to interlock with the lower edge of its upper portion. Said upper edge isaccordingly cut at spaced intervals to correspond with the spacing be tween tenons 60 of the upper st-ri so as to I form dovetailed notches 61- adapte to tightly fit and receive tenons 60. y

Like in the previous case, in producing said notches, the material is cut alongthe upwardly converging sides 62, 63, of each notch, and the portion of material thus, isolated from the body of the strip is bent to one side to form laterallyprojecting lugs or ears such as 64, 65.

Part of said ears or lugs .are bent to one side of the strip and part to the other, and I the resulting tenons 66 are adapted to fit and to tightly interlock with notches 590i the [upper portion, so that the two elementary strips ma vbelaterally displaced toward each-- otheran ic'aused to interlock in the manner" -=shown'.'-.L- iOnce.the-two portions-of the stri .1l5.-: It is obvious that bv virtue of the con-" are thusfassembled,part ofthe ears exten jingt'oone side of the strip" are bent upwardly .several' important advantages over strips [heretofore in use for similar purposes... Inffact, I produce a strip "which possesses-all i the rigidity and more of a solid strip of eor- I responding thickness, and at the same time "The strip illustrated in mgr-18 to'ea'is.

similar in every respect to the one just described, except that the'upper or head portion ofthe strip 69 has a wider section than the lower or 'rib portion 70. Fig. 22 clearly shows how the lower portion 70 of the strip l I is slit downwardlyfrom its upper edge to intended for illustrative purposes only and form notches 61', the material being bent at such ints to form outwardl extending cars such as 64, 65, part of sai cars 67 68",

being bent upwardlfi' after I assembling to form the retaining anges 67', 68', flange 67 being clearly shown in Fig. 23.

The resulting structure is to all intents and purposes as rigid as if it were formed i isolated from the'lower portion of the strip,

- portions i lated from the upper f in order to form the note es there-- I o a V I v out of a solid body of'material; furthermore, the same results formed with laterally pro-' 'j'ecting ears or lugs whichprovide suitable it is obviousfthat analo ous structures can be obtaine by similarly ending or formin rtion o the strip if desired w .v l-Iowever, as a rule it is the lower portion of; the strip which is made of relatively thin uge material, readily lending itself to ding and forming operations, while the, upper portion of the strip may at times -be* comprising an upper and a lower longimade out of heavy gaugematerial.

Furthermore, the provision of such lugs or cars calls for an increase in the material "required, because 'if the notches are simply means are vexclu- I sively obtained from elower portion of I 7 cut oil, the material obtained tlierefrom,'canbe utilized to form the tenons of another strip section, and since the upper part of the stri is usually made of more expensive material it is worth while to effect as much positioning and lockin' 7 the strip.

. different from those My inventive idea ma applied in wayss'li own andtherefore the drawings should be understood as being not in a limiting sense.

= mr m m'" pp ;anaail w g comprising an upper and a lower longitu- I accordingly reserve myself the right 'carrymy invention into practice in all those comprising an upper and a lower longitu- 4 dinal section interlocking with each other. p along-their inner edges, said edges being thefeharacter described, comprising an upper and a lower 1ongi- J tudinal section interlocking with each other along their inner'edges, and means integral 3 with "one of-"the said" sections, reventing relative. lateral displacement {of t e same, ".',2 i k; fl oor1stri-p'ofthecharaeter-described, V g v 9. Ailopr strip of the-character described, 125

ways and manners which ma en't'er, fairly, intIo the scope of-the appende claims I 'A floor strip 0 tudinal'fsection' interl ckingjwitheach other along. their .inner ed' es, saidfedges being formed with. longitu inally interextending male and female oint members, and means integral withfone ofthe said sections, prelacement of the same.

All theseventing relative lateral displacement of the same.

3. A floor strip of the character described, comprising an upper and a-1ower longitudinal section interlocking with each other along their inner ed es, said edges being formed with dovetai ed male and female joints, and means integral with one of the said sections, preventing relative lateral dis 4. floor strip of the'character described, comprising an upper and a lower longitudinal section interlocking with each other 1 along their inner edges, and means extending r om one ofsaid sections, overlapping the lateral surfaces of the other, reventing relative lateral displacement of said sections.

' 5. A floor strip of the character described,

comprising an upper and a lower longi-' 'tudinal section interlock-ingwith each other along their inner edges, means extending from one of said'sections, overlapping the lateral surfaces 'of the other, reventing relative lateral displacement 9f said sections, p and anchoring means laterally extending from said strip. 6; A floor strip of the character described,

means extending at one si e of the strip, 1

and part at the other. i 7. floor strip of the'character described,

comprising an" upper and a lower longitudinal section interlocking with eachlother along their .inner edges, means extending oafg from .one of said sections, overlapping the lateral surfaces of the other, preventing relative lateral displacement of said sections,

'and anchoring means laterally extending from said strip, said anchoring means also acting as positioning means determining the depth atwhich the strip is to be placed in position.

8. A floor strip of the character described,

formed with male and female joints comprising interlocking notches and tenons one of said sections being formed with members exmo tending from the base of said notches and overlapping the lateral surfaces of theother section, preventing relative lateral displacement of said j sections.

dinal section .interlockin'gwith each other I along their inner edges. sai'd edges. being formed with male and female joints comv j I I prising interlocking notches and tenons, one no section, preventing relative lateral displacement of said sections, and anchoring memhers, also integral with. one of said sections,

extending laterally thereof substantially at I right an le thereto.

10. A oor strip of the character described, comprisin an upper and a lower longitudinal section interlocking with each other along their inner edges, said edges being formed with male and female joints comprising interlockingnotches and tenons, one

of said sections being formed with members extending from the base of said notches and overlapping the lateral surface of the other section, and. anchoring members,- also inteal with one of said sections, extending" a 'sectlon, preventing relativelateral displaceterally thereof, substantially at right angle thereto, part of both said overlapping and anchoring members extending at one side I of the strip, and part at the other.

11. Afloor strip of the character described, comprising an upper and a lower longitu dinal section interlocking with each other along their inner edges, said edges being formed with male and female joints com-' rising interlocking notches and tenons, the owersection being formed with members extending 'from the base of said notches and overlapping thelateral surfaces of the other section, preventing relative lateral displacement of said sections,

12. A floor strip of the character described,

comprising an upper and a lower longitudinal section interlocking with each other along their inner edges, said edges being formed with malevahd female joints'comprisinginterlocking'notches and tenons, the lower section being formed with members extending from the base of said notches and overlapping the lateral surfaces of the other section, preventing relative lateral displace ment of saidsections, and anchoring 'mem-' 'bers, also-integral with said lowers'ection', thereof substantially at v extending laterally right an le thereto.

13. A. oor strip'of the character described, comprising an upper and a lower longitue din'al section interlocking with each other ing sections.

along their inner edges, said edges being formed with male and female joints com-' prising interlockingnotches and tenons, the lower section being formed with members extending from the base of said notches and overlappmg the lateral surfaces of the other section, preventing relative. lateral displaceformed with male and female joints comprising interlocking notches andtenons, the

ower section being formed with members extending from the'base of said notches and overlapping the lateral'surfaces of the other.

ment of said sections, and anchoringmembers, also integral with said lower section,

f extending laterally thereof substantially at right angle thereto,- the upper section hava greater thickness than the lower sec-,

tion.

15. A- floor strip-of the character described,-

comprisin I dinal SQCtIOD' interlocking with each other along their inner edges, and means integral with one of the said sections, preventing 1 relative lateral displacement vof the same, said sections being made of two difierent metals.

16.'A floor strip of the, character described, comprising an n per and a lower longitudinal section interlocking with each other along their inner edges, said edges being formed with male and female joints com rising interlocking notches and tenons,

the ower section being formed with. members laterally extending from the base of said notches, part at-one side and part at the otherside thereof, substantially at right angle thereto, part of said laterally extendsurfaces of the upper section, preventing relative an upper and a lower longitulateraldisplacement of said two ,ing members being bent to' overlap the lateral rAsQUALEe L ssL- i 

